Page 31 - ShowSight Presents - The Lagotto Romagnolo

“THEY HAVE A
DOUBLE COAT,
AND DO NOT
HAVE THE OILY
FEEL SOMETIMES
ASSOCIATED WITH
OTHER WATER DOGS.
THEREFORE, THEY
DO NOT HAVE A
STRONG DOG ODOR
AND DO NOT NEED
FREQUENT BATHING.”
are naturally drawn to water, and most love to swim. Others will play and paddle around, but still enjoy the opportunity. There are some that may take your breath away as they will actually dive (yes, I said dive). This has given some owners a real scare until they realize that this is not unusual for the Lagotto. The Lagotto also loves to dig. They really do not know the difference between the area where it is permitted and your best flower bed or vegetable garden, so you do need to make that part of their learning curve when training. Remember, these dogs are very smart, and can be very manipulative if the owner is not savvy to that. Think of them as the brilliant child that needs chal- lenges, stimulation and ground rules. The Lagotto needs gentle and consistent train- ing and praise. They do not do well with harsh commands.
APPEARANCE & GROOMING
The Lagotto Romagnolo is a small-medi- um dog, with a curly coat. Females range from 16-18 inches high at the withers, and weigh 24-30 pounds on the average. Males are slightly larger, standing 17-19 inches at the withers and 28-35 pounds. The stan- dard calls for defined “ring shaped curls” and they are to have a natural appearance where the curls are not fluffed out, such as one would see in a poodle.
They have a double coat, and do not have the oily feel sometimes associated with other water dogs. Therefore, they do not have a strong dog odor and do not need frequent bathing. Typically, unless they get into something they shouldn’t, you can
240 • SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JULY 2015